Background
Jessup was raised by his mother, Annie Jessup, until at the age of 16, he join the United States Merchant Marine.
Jessup was raised by his mother, Annie Jessup, until at the age of 16, he join the United States Merchant Marine.
He also wrote under the name of Richard Telfair. He was a merchant seaman and junior officer for 11 years during which time he said he read a book every day. He learned to be a writer by copying War and Peace on a typewriter whilst afloat, corrected all the errors, then threw the work over the side.